Hey there again! Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed and favorited/followed this story! I just realized that we got more than 100 reviews! XD That has never happened and I'm so super excited! THANK YOU! YOU ALL ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND I LOVE YOU! XD 3

Ahem...so here's another update :) I'm sorry it wasn't sooner but motivation during summer is not very strong. I will try to be better and keep to my schedule of two hours a day! If it continues, then you shall see many more updates :D I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh and I know I said I wasn't going to cuss and so far I haven't or I've symboled it out (yep, not a word but brain's not really working). However, I admit that Steve does cuss occasionally in the movies so to keep him in character as much as possible he does cuss in this chapter. Your definition of cussing may be different than mine and this seems like a pointless warning but just in case there are some of you that don't like it, it's only one word. Again, I don't like cussing in my stories but to keep with the character, Steve and surrounding characters will cuss. I may symbol them out but this time I didn't. Okay, that's all for now! Enjoy! :D

Steve scanned the mall, eyes flitting over each person's face. He didn't see anyone from the STRIKE team or SHIELD but he wasn't going to drop his guard. Not anymore. The mall was bustling with people and noise. A perfect place to blend in. Unfortunately, Steve knew he didn't blend in. Someone was bound to recognize him, he was all over the news! Which was another infuriating, back-stabbing problem. He had been labeled a fugitive by the organization that employed him. This wasn't going to end well. SHIELD no longer stood for what Steve believed in and he was beginning to wonder if it ever did. Just the thought made Steve anxious and he tried picking up their pace.

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk," Natasha said calmly, keeping her pace at a walk and forcing Steve to slow down.

"If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off," Steve retorted irritated. He was wearing grey sneakers with a streak of blue on them that went past his ankle. Steve had wanted to tie the laces tight but Natasha insisted that he wear them looser. She said that was the style and that he would blend in. Problem was, he would lose his shoes if he ran because they were so loose. Maybe that was her goal, Steve thought to himself idly. He still couldn't figure her out, even though they'd been on numerous missions together. After their conversation last night, Natasha had told him to wait in the basement of the hospital while she figured out their game plan. She'd come back with a bag of clothes for each of them and the mall idea. Steve wanted to ask where the clothes came from but thought better of it. Did he really want to know? So there he was wearing loose shoes, jeans, t-shirt, sweater, brown jacket, glasses, and World War II Veteran hat. Natasha thought the hat was hilarious.

They walked, slowly, into a Mac store, going straight to one of the better computers. Steve still didn't know if he could trust Natasha, had never really trusted her. True, she had found the drive and knew who Fury's killer was, but that wasn't what kept Steve following her plan. Even though he'd been numb, he still remembered her pained eyes as she watched Fury die and the sorrow that had nearly engulfed them as she stroked his head. Although those emotions were buried now, they had been something. For the moment, Steve would trust Natasha and hoped he could continue trusting her after all this was over.

"The drive has a level six homing program, so as soon as we boot up, SHIELD will know exactly where we are," Natasha explained, firing up the computer.

"How much time do we have?" Steve asked, keeping close to her.

"Uh...about nine minutes from..." Natasha popped the flash drive into the computer. "Now." Steve watched as Natasha's fingers flew across the key board and lists of technological lingo flashed across the screen. None of it made sense to him so he left that to Natasha and continued to scan the perimeter. Steve tried to look normal but his talents didn't lie in disguise. He was a soldier meant for the front line where you could see your enemy coming at you. Steve knew how to be stealthy, how to creep up on the enemy without making a noise. Being a spy and blending in with those around you? Not his forte.

Everything about this felt wrong, confusing, and painful. Steve was hiding from the organization that had saved him from the ice. SHIELD had given him new life and continued his purpose to fight the bullies. But now, Steve didn't know who the bullies were. What missions were actually needed for the world and which were needed to keep SHIELD's secrets? Even Fury was clouded in doubt now. On his way back to the hospital, Steve admitted to himself that Fury could have hired Batroc to pirate the ship. But selling classified information? Fury wouldn't do that. Pierce had been speaking the truth, just not the entire truth.

"Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands," Natasha stated, snapping Steve out of his thoughts.

"Can you override it?"

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly." Natasha went back to work and Steve looked around nervously. He didn't like the idea of another person out smarting them.

"I'm gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can't read the file, maybe we can find out where it came from," Natasha explained. Steve appreciated the explanation but wondered why she gave it. She didn't have to tell him what she was doing so why was she? She's trying to show me that I can trust her, Steve thought. Before he could think on it anymore, they were interrupted.

"Can I help you guys with anything?" a man with long hair and matching beard asked. Steve froze. He was horrible at telling lies and what kind of lie were you supposed to tell in this situation? Steve instinctively stepped around Natasha to shield her and the computer from the man's prying eyes. Think of something to do with GPS and –

"Oh, no. My fiancé was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations," Natasha answered, her voice rising in pitch. She put her arms around Steve, pulling him into a hug.

"Right! We're getting married," Steve said lamely. He could practically feel Natasha's laughter at his weak attempt to play along. I hate spy games, Steve decided.

"Congratulations. Where you guys thinking about going?" the man smiled politely and leaned in. Steve glanced at the monitor which conveniently had the name of a location.

"New Jersey," Steve stated.

"Oh." Yeah, it sounded pathetic to Steve too. Steve looked back and forth between the man and computer until he realized the man was staring. His mouth was beginning to hang open and he had the look of recognition in his eyes. Oh no, Steve thought. He recognizes me. He's going to blow our cover –

"I have the exact same glasses," the man said.

"Wow, you two are practically twins," Natasha added. Steve touched his glasses, breathing a sigh of relief. Why would anyone want to be a spy when it was this hard?

"Yeah, I wish. Specimen." Steve blinked, uncomfortable as the man gestured to his body.

"Uh...if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron."

"Thank you." The man walked away and Steve turned back to Natasha. Steve had never thought of himself as attractive, much less a "specimen." This entire operation was out of his comfort zone. Steve checked his watch and nearly cursed.

"You said nine minutes, come on."

"Shh, relax." Steve watched the computer as the lines zeroed in on a point in New Jersey.

"Got it." He leaned closer to see the name that popped up. His brow creased in confusion and alarm. Wheaton, NJ.

"You know it?" Natasha asked, seeing his reaction.

"I used to. Let's go," Steve commanded, pulling the flash drive from the computer. This didn't feel right. Nothing was right and everything was wrong. What a nightmare. As they left the Mac store, Steve immediately spotted the agents.

"Standard tac-team. Two behind, to across, two coming straight at us," Steve said, looking around and confirming his suspicions. "If they make us, I'll engage, you hit the south escalator to the metro-"

"Shut up and put your arm around me, laugh at something I said," Natasha interrupted.

"What?"

"Do it." Steve swung his arm around Natasha's shoulder, putting his head down and laughing. They passed by the two agents without a second glance. Steve looked back at them, unbelieving. That had worked? Natasha guided them to the escalator, their quickest way to an exit. Steve kept looking around, trying to spot the agents before they spotted them. Suddenly, Natasha turned around to look at him.

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable," Natasha explained. Steve wondered if she was kidding, if this was another one of her pranks. But her eyes were serious and unwavering. Still…

"Yes, they do," Steve retorted, testing to see if she was joking. An irritated look crossed her face before she reached up and pulled him down into a kiss. Steve's hand lightly grabbed her waist to rebalance them both, completing the look Natasha wanted. The kiss was a kiss, nothing more and nothing less. It was dry of any emotion yet it sent Steve's thoughts into a frenzy. The only person he had ever wanted to kiss was dead. This felt like some betrayal to Peggy even though she'd moved on and had a life. Just thinking about Peggy made the grief come to the surface and that brought Fury's death up too. Dammit, not now, Steve thought as pictures and emotions swirled around his head. He needed to stay numb and focused. He could figure out the grief later. The kiss only lasted a few seconds and then Natasha was pulling away with a slight smirk on her face. She enjoys throwing me off my guard, Steve thought, annoyed.

"You still uncomfortable?" Natasha asked, walking down the escalator.

"It's not exactly the word I would use," Steve replied. He heard her giggle and he rolled his eyes. Steve followed Natasha's lead, trusting her spy abilities more than his instincts. For the moment. She led them to the parking garage and scanned the cars. Steve checked the perimeter, senses on high alert and nerves jumpy. His eyes landed on a nice blue truck that wasn't next to any cars. Natasha was turned away, scanning the other cars. Steve looked at the security camera, which was turned away from the truck. He sighed and walked towards the truck. He hated taking another person's car but this was a necessity. Plus he would give it back…or reimburse him. Steve would do something to repay the man or woman who owned this truck once this nightmare was over. If it was ever over.

Steve tried the handle and, luckily, it was open. He began to hotwire the car, making all kinds of excuses about why he needed to do this. Finally, the engine roared to life and Steve hopped into the driver's seat. Natasha followed soon after, sliding into the passenger seat with a raised eyebrow. Steve ignored her and reversed the truck, driving out of the parking garage.

"Do you have the GPS to get there?" Steve asked.

"I thought you recognized where we were going," Natasha said innocently. She placed her feet on the dash and lounged in the chair, completely at ease. Well, not completely, Steve knew she'd be ready for a fight in a heartbeat.

"I did, doesn't mean I know how to get there. It has been seventy years," Steve admitted. Natasha smirked but pulled out her phone, punching in the address. Wheaton, New Jersey. Why would the flash drive be from there? As far as Steve knew, the army base where he had trained and undergone the serum had been inactive for quite some time. There was no reason why a modern flash drive should come from a place of the past.

They travelled in silence for a while. Natasha could tell Steve didn't want to talk and she didn't feel like pushing. Not yet. Steve was caught in his circling thoughts, getting nowhere. Why Wheaton? What had Fury been up to? What was Pierce hiding? How much of SHIELD was compromised? Could he really trust Natasha? Steve wished he could talk to Charlie. She always helped figure out his thoughts. Charlie. Steve nearly cursed himself for his stupidity. He couldn't talk to her, even if he wanted to. He was a fugitive now and would put her at risk by contacting her. Plus, he'd left his phone at his apartment. Had she heard the news? What did she think? Don't trust anyone, Fury's words rang in Steve's head. Could Charlie be trusted? She had left right before Fury died. Convenient, Steve's paranoia cried. Coincidence, another part of him claimed. Steve was relieved she wasn't here to get caught up in this mess but he couldn't shake the doubt that had taken root. He and Charlie had become close and he talked to her almost every day. Actually, it had been every day. Why had the become so close so easily? Was it shared interest or something more sinister? Steve couldn't imagine Charlie as a spy but he hadn't imagined SHIELD attacking him either. He hated this. Hated the back stabbing and the doubt and the confusion. Steve wanted to know his enemy, know who he was fighting. He just wanted –

"Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?" Natasha asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. He glanced at her, catching her green eyes.

"Nazi Germany."

"Mm."

"And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash," Steve instructed. Natasha smirked but did as she was told.

"Alright, I have a question for you, of which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?"

"What?" Steve interrupted her ramble, not in the mood for long talks. He regretted interrupting her after her question.

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?" Natasha was holding back a smile and Steve guessed a laugh as well.

"That bad, huh?"

"I didn't say that."

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying," Steve accused, getting defensive.

"No, I didn't. I just wondered how much practice you had," Natasha said back tracking.

"Practice? You don't need practice."

"Everybody needs practice."

"It was not my first kiss since 1945. I'm ninety-five, I'm not dead," Steve sighed. He was partly telling the truth. He had a kiss shortly after he was unfrozen. Steve hadn't initiated it because his eyes had still been frozen shut but the nurse who had kissed him smelled nice. Although the kiss was a little stiff but that was probably because he'd been frozen for seventy years. But, no need to tell Natasha the details. He already knew her assessment of his kiss.

"Nobody special, though?" Natasha pressed. Steve scoffed.

"Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience." That's not everything to a relationship, Steve thought. It could be shared likes as well, like books, or a song –

"Well, that's alright, you just make something up." Natasha had a knack for interrupting his thoughts.

"What, like you?" Steve retorted.

"I don't know. The truth is a matter of circumstances. It's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I."

"That's a tough way to live." Steve couldn't imagine having to wear a disguise or putting on an act for each circumstance of life. It had been exhausting today when he tried to look normal. How did Natasha do it for a living?

"It's a good way not to die, though," Natasha sighed. Steve looked at Natasha and wondered what made her who she was. What had she gone through to need so many faces? He knew she had a history but Fury had told him not to look too deeply. Steve didn't know what to do. Natasha was a master assassin and manipulator. If she wanted to betray him, she would have. The fact that she was sitting in a truck, listening to Steve while he told her about his pathetic love life spoke volumes. Steve wanted to trust Natasha but everything about her screamed disguise. She would never show Steve who she really was.

"You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is," Steve admitted.

"Yeah," Natasha agreed. There was a pause as Steve digested her answer.

"Who do you want me to be?" Natasha asked. Steve looked at her and answered without thinking.

"How about a friend?" Natasha chuckled softly, turning to look at the road. He knew it sounded silly and ridiculous but it was true. He seemed to have enough enemies already. He just wanted someone he could trust and that was a friend.

"Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers," Natasha said, turning back to look at him. Steve sighed and turned his attention to the road. He knew he was in the wrong business. He had signed up for a war with Nazi Germany, not his own people.

Charlie growled in annoyance and threw her phone on the bed. Steve still wasn't picking up or returning her calls. And now, his phone went straight to voicemail meaning he'd either turned it off or it had lost its battery. She ran a hand through her ponytail, her hand snagging on a tangle. Untying the rubber band, Charlie let her hair fall past her shoulders as she sank onto the bed. She was worried sick about Steve and the no contact was not helping. The news kept talking and arguing about why Steve was considered a fugitive and what he'd done wrong. Charlie refused to believe that Steve had murdered Fury or had gone AWOL from SHIELD. No, that wasn't in Steve's make up. Something bigger was happening and Steve was caught in the middle.

Charlie put her arm over her eyes, sighing. Steve had voiced concern about his missions not feeling right, not connecting with this team. He had been right. How awful for Steve, Charlie thought. She just wanted to know he was okay. He'd jumped from an elevator and crashed into a glass ceiling. That had to hurt right? How fast did he heal? Was anyone with him or was he on his own? What was he doing now? Ugh, I am never going to sleep, Charlie thought. She got up and walked to the kitchen. Whenever her mind was whirling, baking always helped. Nana and Nattie were already asleep and they wouldn't be woken up. They were hard sleepers.

Quietly, Charlie got out her cooking supplies and began making scones. A question had been nagging at the back of her head but she really didn't want to think about it. But the more she tried to push it away, the more it came to the forefront of her mind. Why was she so worried about Steve? Charlie considered them friends now so it made sense to worry. Friends. That was such a foreign concept to Charlie. Oh she'd dreamed and wished for a friend like Steve but now that she had it, she wasn't so sure. Actually, it terrified her. The last time someone had gotten this close to her it had ended in bruises, scars, and running away in the rain. The cookie sheet Charlie had been holding, slipped from her fingers, clattering to the floor.

Charlie froze, eyes to the ceiling. After a few beats of silence, she breathed a sigh of relief and picked up the pan. Charlie looked down at her hand to find it shaking. She clenched her hand, taking a few deep breaths and banishing the nightmares to the back of her mind. She wasn't going to think about it. For now, she'd keep worrying for her friend and think about what that meant later. Even if that meant baking all night to calm her racing thoughts.